DOVER, Del. — The daughter of a Delaware pediatrician who has appeared on national television for his research on near-death experiences told investigators he ‘‘waterboarded’’ her several times by holding her face under a running faucet.
A lawyer for Dr. Melvin Morse described the waterboarding description as an ‘‘attention-getter’’ by authorities, based on an allegation from an 11-year-old who had made a false abuse claim against a family member before.
It got mine.
‘‘Whatever’s being described is not waterboarding,’’ said Joe Hurley, who has not spoken to Morse since Tuesday’s arrests. ‘‘I think that’s an attention-getter. I’m not sure where that came from or how that developed.’’
Morse and his wife, Pauline, were charged with several felony counts Tuesday based on the daughter’s claims.
Too bad he doesn't work for the CIA.
Related: The End of American Justice
That was years ago.
Acting upon a complaint by the Delaware attorney general’s office, state officials on Thursday ordered the emergency suspension of Morse’s medical license.
Waterboarding simulates drowning and it has been used in the past by US interrogators on terrorism suspects. Many critics call it torture.
Morse, who has written several books and articles on paranormal science and near-death experiences, has appeared on shows such as ‘‘Larry King Live’’ and the ‘‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’’ to discuss his research, which also has been featured on an episode of ‘‘Unsolved Mysteries’’ and in an article in Rolling Stone magazine.
Morse’s Web site is strewn with commentary about God, love, family, and death....
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"Doctor is accused of waterboarding 11-year-old stepdaughter" by RANDALL CHASE | Associated Press, August 15, 2012
DOVER, Del. — A Delaware pediatrician who achieved national recognition for his research into near-death experiences involving children may have been experimenting on his 11-year-old stepdaughter by waterboarding her, police said in court documents.
The possible link between Dr. Melvin Morse’s research and the waterboarding allegations was revealed in an affidavit for a search warrant for Morse’s computers. The document was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.
According to the affidavit, Dr. Melvin Morse brought the girl ‘‘to a possible near-death state from the simulation of drowning.’’
‘‘This ‘waterboarding’ that he has performed . . . would fall into the area of study he practices,’’ police said in the affidavit. ‘‘It is logical that he has therefore written about and/or researched the topic of ‘waterboarding.’’’
Joe Hurley, an attorney for Morse, said the idea that Morse was experimenting on his own daughter is ‘‘the sheerest of speculation.’’
Morse, who faces a preliminary hearing Thursday on felony child endangerment and conspiracy charges, has authored several books and articles on paranormal science and near-death experiences.
The allegations of waterboarding came after Morse’s 11-year-old stepdaughter told investigators last week that her father had disciplined her by holding her face under a running faucet at least four times since 2009.
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